Silversea’s 132-guest Silver Explorer has successfully completed the company’s first-ever journey through the Northwest Passage.

The 23-day voyage commenced in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland on August 9 and concluded in Nome, Alaska on September 1. It covered a distance of nearly 3,500 nautical miles, following a route through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago similar to Roald Amundsen’s east-to-west expedition of 1903 to 1906, the first successful navigation by boat through the passage.

“Sailing the Northwest Passage is an experience reserved for true adventurers and dedicated explorers,” said Conrad Combrink, Silversea’s director of expedition planning and strategic development. “We are honored to know that what was once an unfulfilled dream for such renowned explorers as Captain James Cook, Henry Hudson, and many others, is now a successful chapter in the history of Silversea Expeditions.”

“It’s a special privilege to sail through the world’s most elusive and historic waterways. Such a journey requires careful and meticulous planning at every stage,” said Golubev, who has led over 50 voyages to the Arctic, Antarctic and Greenland. In an abundance of caution, Captain Golubev enlisted the services of an icebreaker to escort Silver Explorer through a critical portion of the route.

“I’m pleased that all our strategizing and preparations resulted in success for Silversea’s first-ever Northwest Passage expedition, and I’m very grateful to be among a small group of mariners who have experienced such an extraordinary opportunity during their careers.”

Silversea is a member of the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO), dedicated to managing respectable, environmentally friendly and safe expedition cruising in the Arctic.